Something Greater

Psalm 4 God Of My Righteousness To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.   Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, "Who will show us some good?" Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!" You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalms 4:1-8 (ESV) WHAT DO YOU THINK? How does prayer depend upon grace? Da

Managing A Household 1 Timothy 3:4-5 What has gone before... Paul warned Timothy to guard against relying upon leaders who were "lovers of silver", people who sought "sordid gain". The Greek word for "sordid" includes the idea of shame. Shame is the emotion a person feels when they are disfigured or disgraced in the eyes of other people. Yet the leaders of the church in Ephesus felt no shame for their greedy, contradictory teaching and control. God, through the ministry of Paul and Timothy, was demonstrating His knowledge of the shameful, sordid leadership in Ephesus, and He was providing a way of rescue for the church. Moving on... 1 Timothy 3:4-5 (ESV) "He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?" Managing a household well, supporting a family, loving a wife and children, requires th

Caulkers: Fastening Onto God 1 Samuel 30:6 I am easily discouraged, easily frustrated and easily disheartened. David also felt overwhelmed by discouragement, distressed by circumstances of loss and weakness, or confused about what to do and where to go. He often felt pain from circumstances that were allowed and orchestrated by God. Recently I read of an instance in which David responded to a horrendous experience of loss and violence by "strengthening", or fastening, himself in God: "David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God." 1 Samuel 30:6 (ESV) David's small army had been on the front lines of war, away from their homes for three days. During that time, Amalekites had raided their hometown of Ziklag, burning it with fire and taking captive the women and all who were in it. David and his men re

Self-controlled and Respectable 1 Timothy 3:2 What has gone before... Paul introduced and summarized the qualifications required for a person to be considered for the office of overseer: above reproach and well thought of. First on the list was faithfulness in marriage, followed by sober-mindedness, meaning alert and ready. Moving on... The next requirement for the office of overseer is that of self-control. "An overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled..." 1 Timothy 3:2 (ESV) SELF-CONTROLLED: sophron "SO-frone" (safe, or sound, in mind; self-controlled, moderate as to opinion or passion; from sos (safe, to save, to deliver or protect) and phrao (to rein in or curb) This seems related to sober-mindedness, with both characteristics focusing on remaining out of danger, maintaining caution. Being sober-minded means a person is alert and prepared, and self-control is the consequence of that vigilance: s

A Real Relationship With Jesus Today's post is written by my wife, Robin Reynolds, taken from a message presented at a recent Healing Hearts Bible study. The message strikes deeply at the heart of what being a Christian is, and I'm grateful for Robin allowing me to post it here. Being a Christian, a follower of Christ, isn't about following a list of rules. It's not about going through the checklist...Did I read my Bible today, did I pray, did I got to church this week? No. It's about our relationship with Jesus Christ. How dare we? How dare we reduce being a Christian to a simple set of rules. How dare we act as if the King of kings and the Lord of lords did not sacrifice His life so that we can have forgiveness of sins, an abundant life, and an intimate relationship with Him? How dare we behave as if this life that He has given us is all about us and our rule-following? Sorry to burst everyone's bubble, but it isn't all about us. "Looki

Shame 1 Timothy 3:3 What has come before... Violent people, smiters, find it a pleasure to pound flat into the ground anyone who might challenge their personal privileges of superiority. "Insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers" taught whatever "truth" might profit them. Perverting or contradicting the foundational teachings of Christ, they effectively persuaded others to abandon faith, trading it for legalistic, traditional religion. Moving on... The definition of "sordid gain" includes the notion of "shame", vividly described by Paul in his letter to Titus. "He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain wha

Psalm 3: Arise, O Lord! A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; Many are saying of my soul, "There is no salvation for him in God." Selah But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, And he answered me from his holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; You break the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be on your people! Selah Psalms 3:1-8 (ESV) WHAT DO YOU THINK? What range of emotions does David describe in this psalm? Is there a progression, or do David's feelings seem random? David was a warrior...he had bravely faced many situations, some even more threatening

Why Do The Nations Rage? Psalm 2 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, "As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill." I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in th

Legalistic Duty or Delightful Devotion? Psalm 1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Psalms 1:1-6 (ESV) What do you think? God, through this psalm of David, promises blessed prosperity ("happy pushing forward") for all who delight ("find pleasure or value") in His law. Why do the wicked reject this happiness? What is the difference between legalistic duty

Pugnacious Smiter 1 Timothy 3:2 What has gone before... Drunkenness destroys a person's marriage, blinds them to reality, exposes them to injury and disease, brings scorn from the community, alienates them from friendship and confuses their ability to teach and learn. Drunkenness can lead to violence, the second destructive behavior listed by Paul. Moving on... "An overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent..." 1 Timothy 3:2-3 (ESV) NOT VIOLENT: me plektes "may PLAKE-tace" (qualified negation, smiter, pugnacious or quarrelsome); from plesso (to pound, as if flattening out; to inflict with calamity); from plasso (to mould, shape or fabricate) Violent people, smiters, find it a pleasure to pound flat into the ground anyone who might challenge their personal privileges of superiority . "Violent" occurs only twice in the Bib

The Destruction of Nobility 1 Timothy 3:1 What has gone before... Following seven character qualities that demonstrate a person's aspiration and desire to serve as a leader, Paul presented a list of six examples of behavior: three negative and three positive. A comparison of two versions of the list showed that the ESV combined two of these behaviors into one, while KJV reflected more accurately the six distinct behaviors. Moving on... "If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money." 1 Timothy 3:1-3 (ESV) Here, Paul lists three negative patterns of behavior which can destroy any one or all of the seven qualities of a "noble task". Drunkenness (staying near wine) Violence (smiter, pugnacious) Sordidness

Suffering Servant Acts 9:15 What has gone before... Saul seemed near to death. Struck down with blindness, confronted by a man he'd thought long dead by crucifixion, his Jewish life of rigid righteousness and violent religious rule seemed gone in an instant. All he could do was pray. Meanwhile, God was preparing Ananias to go to Saul, to heal his blindness and commission him to be a witness for Jesus. And to suffer. Moving on... "The Lord said to him, - Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." Acts 9:15-16 (ESV) SUFFER: pascho "PAS-kho" (to experience a sensation or impression, usually painful) Much of the Book of Acts is an account of how Saul suffered as a Christian. Jews plotted to kill him early in his ministry (9:23). Fellow Christians suspected him of being a spy (9:26). He was persecuted a

Saved to Serve Acts 9:8 What has gone before... Saul, "breathing threats and murder", traveled to Damascus to rout Jewish Christians. His mind and heart were engorged with lust for violent, crushing punishment of people he regarded as traitors to Judaism, idolaters of a false god. The writer of the Book of Acts described Christians as ones "belonging to the Way", reminding all of us to see our life as a road, with many changes in terrain and direction, but leading to a greatly desired destination. Midway on his chosen road of retribution, Saul was brought to his knees with physical blindness and spiritual clarity. The Jesus he had sought to grind into forgotten history was suddenly very real, and very persuasive. Moving on... Blind, perhaps confused, probably frightened and emotionally spent, Saul seemed near death: "Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into

Aspiration and Desire 1 Timothy 3:3 What has gone before... An overseer must be hospitable , one who is fond of guests, one who enjoys meeting new and different sorts of people, regarding new acquaintances as new friends. In the same breath, Paul cautions Christians to avoid grumbling , grudgingly attempting to show hospitality to others while inwardly complaining of the cost or discomfort. Hospitality is sharing with others what God has given us. Entertaining others at our home, or together at a restaurant, can easily connect with another characteristic of the ideal overseer: one who teaches others . More than being willing to teach others, Paul describes an overseer as one who is competent to teach, one who himself loves to learn and joys in helping others to learn. Teaching is to be more than a duty...it is to be a lifelong calling. Moving on... Following the seven broad categories of character qualities introduced in verse 2, Paul now lists specific behaviors

Above Reproach And Well Thought Of 1 Timothy 3:2 What has gone before... Paul exalts the " office of overseer ", which means spiritual health inspector. "Office of overseer" is often translated as " visitation ". The first " episcopate ", or group of church overseers, were probably the apostles, called by Jesus. Paul commended those who "aspire" or stretch out after and set their hearts upon the office of overseer, describing the work as a "noble task", something " beautifully good ". Moving on... Paul describes the the ideal overseer . The passage reads like a job-hunter's resume, listing knowledge, skills and abilities essential for the "noble task" of inspecting and protecting Christian churches. "An overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quar